NetApp and Citrix XenDesktop

Simple management and dramatic storage savings for virtual desktops

FlexPod® Datacenter and Citrix XenDesktop

Desktop virtualization from NetApp, Cisco, and Citrix for on-demand growth

The FlexPod Datacenter solution brings the power of the FlexPod concept to Citrix customers by providing an easy-to-deploy, self-contained virtual desktop solution in a rack. XenDesktop on FlexPod is a pre-configured and validated desktop architecture built on a flexible and secure shared IT infrastructure using leading technology from NetApp, Cisco and Citrix. The solution is optimized for XenDesktop deployments and combines NetApp's unified architecture, advanced data protection and provisioning technologies with Cisco Unified Computing System™ and Cisco Nexus® switches to provide a secure and robust platform for virtual desktop environments.

When Citrix XenDesktop is deployed with NetApp, storage for new virtual desktops can either be fully provisioned or created using space-efficient allocation. This flexibility allows IT to optimize storage systems for either highest performance or optimal resource sharing, and also choose both SAN or NAS storage protocols (including FC, iSCSI, NFS or CIFS) for maximum flexibility. Combine these capabilities with NetApp instant cloning technology, and IT can easily and quickly clone and deploy virtual desktops.

Storage replication and disaster recovery integration

Easily configure XenDesktop environments for disaster recovery with NetApp storage and replication solutions. With NetApp’s storage replication and XenDesktop’s disaster recovery integration (including replication of configuration metadata), businesses can bring services back online at a remote location rapidly in the event of site failure. Replication at the data layer makes XenDesktop operation simple and transparent in recovery scenarios.